Map of Belgium | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
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Background: Belgium became independent from the Netherlands in 1830; it was occupied by Germany during World Wars I and II. The country prospered in the past half century as a modern technologically advanced European state and member of NATO and the EU. Tensions between the Dutch-speaking Flemings of the north and the French-speaking Walloons of the south have led in recent years to constitutional amendments granting these regions formal recognition and autonomy.


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Location: Western Europe bordering the North Sea between France and the Netherlands

Geographic coordinates: 50 50 N 4 00 E

Map reference: Europe

Area
Total: 30,528 km²
Rank: 140
Land: 30,278 km²
Water: 250 km²
Comparative: about the size of Maryland

Land boundaries
Total: 1385 km
Border countries: (4) France 620 km; Germany 167 km; Luxembourg 148 km; Netherlands 450 km

Coastline: 66.5 km

Maritime claims
Territorial sea: 12 nm
Contiguous zone: 24 nm
Exclusive economic zone: geographic coordinates define outer limit
Continental shelf: median line with neighbors

Climate: temperate; mild winters cool summers; rainy humid cloudy

Terrain: flat coastal plains in northwest central rolling hills rugged mountains of Ardennes Forest in southeast

Elevation
Extremes lowest point: North Sea 0 m
Extremes highest point: Signal de Botrange 694 m

Natural resources: construction materials silica sand carbonates

Land use
Arable land: 27.42%
Permanent crops: 0.69%
Other: 71.89%
Note: includes Luxembourg (2005)

Irrigated land: 400 km² (2003)

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources: 20.8 km³ (2005)

Natural hazards: flooding is a threat along rivers and in areas of reclaimed coastal land protected from the sea by concrete dikes

Geography
Note: crossroads of Western Europe; most West European capitals within 1000 km of Brussels the seat of both the European Union and NATO


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Population: 10,414,336 (July 2009 est.)
Rank: 78
Growth rate: 0.094% (2009 est.)
Growth rate rank: 192
Below poverty line: 15.2% (2007 est.)

Nationality
Noun: Belgian
Adjective: Belgian

Ethnic groups: Fleming 58% Walloon 31% mixed or other 11%

Languages: Dutch (official) 60% French (official) 40% German (official) less than 1% legally bilingual (Dutch and French)

Religions: Roman Catholic 75% other (includes Protestant) 25%

Demographic profile

Age structure
0-14 years: 16.1%
15-64 years: 66.3% (male 3,480,072/female 3,419,721)
65 years and over: 17.6% (male 760,390/female 1,074,477) (2009 est.)

Dependency ratios

Median age
Total: 41.7 years
Male: 40.4 years
Female: 43 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.094% (2009 est.)
Rank: 192

Birth rate: 10.15 births/1000 population (2009 est.)
Rank: 193

Death rate: 10.44 deaths/1000 population (July 2009 est.)
Rank: 58

Net migration rate: 1.22 migrant(s)/1000 population (2009 est.)
Rank: 52

Population distribution

Urbanization
Urban population: 97% of total population
Rate of urbanization: 0.3% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Major urban areas

Environment
Current issues: the environment is exposed to intense pressures from human activities: urbanization dense transportation network industry extensive animal breeding and crop cultivation; air and water pollution also have repercussions for neighboring countries; uncertainties regarding federal and regional responsibilities (now resolved) had slowed progress in tackling environmental challenges
International agreements party to: Air Pollution Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants Air Pollution-Sulfur 85 Air Pollution-Sulfur 94 Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds Antarctic-Environmental Protocol Antarctic-Marine Living Resources Antarctic Seals Antarctic Treaty Biodiversity Climate Change Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol Desertification Endangered Species Environmental Modification Hazardous Wastes Law of the Sea Marine Dumping Marine Life Conservation Ozone Layer Protection Ship Pollution Tropical Timber 83 Tropical Timber 94 Wetlands Whaling
International agreements signed but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Air pollutants

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.04 male/female
Under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female
Total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate
Total: 4.44 deaths/1000 live births
Rank: 201
Male: 4.99 deaths/1000 live births
Female: 3.87 deaths/1000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 79.22 years
Rank: 33
Male: 76.06 years
Female: 82.53 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.65 children born/woman (2009 est.)
Rank: 176

Contraceptive prevalence rate

Drinking water source

Current health expenditure

Physicians density

Hospital bed density

Sanitation facility access

Hiv/Aids
Adult prevalence rate: 0.2% (2007 est.)
Adult prevalence rate rank: 94
People living with hivaids: 15,000 (2007 est.)
People living with hivaids rank: 86
Deaths: fewer than 100 (2007 est.)
Deaths rank: 151

Major infectious diseases

Obesity adult prevalence rate

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

Education expenditures: 6% of GDP (2004)
Rank: 40

Literacy
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: 99%
Male: 99%
Female: 99% (2003 est.)

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education
Total: 16 years
Male: 16 years
Female: 16 years (2006)

Youth unemployment


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Country name
Conventional long form: Kingdom of Belgium
Conventional short form: Belgium
Local long form: Royaume de Belgique/Koninkrijk Belgie
Local short form: Belgique/Belgie

Government type: federal parliamentary democracy under a constitutional monarchy

Capital
Name: Brussels
Geographic coordinates: 50 50 N 4 20 E
Time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington DC during Standard Time)
Daylight saving time: +1hr begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October

Administrative divisions: 3 regions (French: regions singular - region; Dutch: gewesten singular - gewest); Brussels-Capital Region also known as Brussels Hoofdstedelijk Gewest (Dutch) Region de Bruxelles-Capitale (French long form) Bruxelles-Capitale (French short form); Flemish Region (Flanders) also known as Vlaams Gewest (Dutch long form) Vlaanderen (Dutch short form) Region Flamande (French long form) Flandre (French short form); Walloon Region (Wallonia) also known as Region Wallone (French long form) Wallonie (French short form) Waals Gewest (Dutch long form) Wallonie (Dutch short form)
Note: as a result of the 1993 constitutional revision that furthered devolution into a federal state there are now three levels of government (federal regional and linguistic community) with a complex division of responsibilities

Dependent areas

Independence: 4 October 1830 (a provisional government declared independence from the Netherlands); 21 July 1831 (King LEOPOLD I ascended to the throne)

National holiday: 21 July (1831) ascension to the Throne of King LEOPOLD I

Constitution: 7 February 1831; amended many times; revised 14 July 1993 to create a federal state

Legal system: based on civil law system influenced by English constitutional theory; judicial review of legislative acts; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations

International law organization participation

Citizenship

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Executive branch
Chief of state: King ALBERT II ; Heir Apparent Prince PHILIPPE son of the monarch
Head of government: Prime Minister Herman VAN ROMPUY (30 December 2008)
Cabinet: Council of Ministers are formally appointed by the monarch
Elections: the monarchy is hereditary and constitutional; following legislative elections the leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the monarch and then approved by parliament

Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament consists of a Senate or Senaat in Dutch Senat in French (71 seats; 40 members are directly elected by popular vote 31 are indirectly elected; members serve four-year terms) and a Chamber of Deputies or Kamer van Volksvertegenwoordigers in Dutch Chambre des Representants in French (150 seats; members are directly elected by popular vote on the basis of proportional representation to serve four-year terms)
Elections: Senate and Chamber of Deputies - last held 10 June 2007 (next to be held no later than June 2011)
Election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - CDV/N-VA 19.4% Open VLD 12.4% MR 12.3% VB 11.9% PS 10.2% SP.A-Spirit 10% CDH 5.9% Ecolo 5.8% Groen! 3.6% Dedecker List 3.4% FN 2.3% other 2.8%; seats by party - CDV 12 MR 11 Open VLD 9 VB 8 PS 7 SP.A 6 CDH 5 Ecolo 5 Groen! 2 LDD 1 FN 1 independents 4; Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - CDV/N-VA 18.5% MR 12.5% VB 12% Open VLD 11.8% PS 10.9% SP.A-Spirit 10.3% CDH 6.1% Ecolo 5.1% Dedecker List 4% Groen! 4% FN 2% other 2.8%; seats by party - CDV 23 N-VA 7 MR 23 VB 17 Open VLD 18 PS 20 SP.A 14 CDH 10 Ecolo 8 Dedecker List 5 Groen! 4 FN 1
Note: as a result of the 1993 constitutional revision that furthered devolution into a federal state there are now three levels of government (federal regional and linguistic community) with a complex division of responsibilities; this reality leaves six governments each with its own legislative assembly

Judicial branch: Supreme Court of Justice or Hof van Cassatie (in Dutch) or Cour de Cassation (in French) (judges are appointed for life by the government; candidacies have to be submitted by the High Justice Council)

Political parties and leaders
Flemish parties: Christian Democratic and Flemish or CDV [Marianne THYSSEN]; Dedecker List [Jean-Marie DEDECKER]; Flemish Liberals and Democrats or Open VLD [Bart SOMERS]; Groen! [Mieke VOGELS] ; New Flemish Alliance or N-VA [Bart DE WEVER]; Social Liberal Party or SLP [Geert LAMBERT]; note - prior to 19 April 2008 known as Spirit; Social Progressive Alternative or SP.A [Caroline GENNEZ]; Vlaams Belang (Flemish Interest) or VB [Bruno VALKENIERS]
Francophone parties: Ecolo (Francophone Greens) [Jean-Michel JAVAUX Isabelle DURANT]; Humanist and Democratic Center or CDH [Joelle MILQUET]; National Front or FN [Daniel HUYGENS]; Reform Movement or MR [Didier REYNDERS]; Socialist Party or PS [Elio DI RUPO]; other minor parties

International organization participation: ACCT ADB (nonregional members) AfDB (nonregional members) Australia Group Benelux BIS CE CERN EAPC EBRD EIB EMU ESA EU FAO G-9 G-10 IADB IAEA IBRD ICAO ICC ICCt ICRM IDA IEA IFAD IFC IFRCS IHO ILO IMF IMO IMSO Interpol IOC IOM IPU ISO ITSO ITU ITUC MIGA MONUC NATO NEA NSG OAS (observer) OECD OIF OPCW OSCE Paris Club PCA Schengen Convention SECI (observer) UN UNCTAD UNESCO UNHCR UNIDO UNIFIL UNMIS UNRWA UNTSO UPU WADB (nonregional) WCL WCO WEU WFTU WHO WIPO WMO WTO ZC

Diplomatic representation
In the us chief of mission: Ambassador Jan MATTHYSEN
In the us chancery: 3,330 Garfield Street NW Washington DC 20,008
In the us telephone: [1] (202) 333-6,900
In the us fax: [1] (202) 333-3,079
In the us consulate general: Atlanta Los Angeles New York
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador ; Charge d'Affaires Wayne BUSH
From the us embassy: 27 Boulevard du Regent [Regentlaan] B-1000 Brussels
From the us mailing address: PSC 82 Box 002 APO AE 9,710
From the us telephone: [32] (2) 508-2,111
From the us fax: [32] (2) 511-2,725

Flag description: three equal vertical bands of black (hoist side) yellow and red; the vertical design was based on the flag of France; the colors are those of the arms of the duchy of Brabant (yellow lion with red claws and tongue on a black field)

National symbols

National anthem

National heritage


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Economy overview: This modern private-enterprise economy has capitalized on its central geographic location highly developed transport network and diversified industrial and commercial base. Industry is concentrated mainly in the populous Flemish area in the north. With few natural resources Belgium must import substantial quantities of raw materials and export a large volume of manufactures making its economy unusually dependent on the state of world markets. Roughly three-quarters of its trade is with other EU countries. Public debt is more than 80% of GDP. On the positive side the government succeeded in balancing its budget during the 2000-2008 period and income distribution is relatively equal. Belgium began circulating the euro currency in January 2002. Economic growth and foreign direct investment dropped in 2008. In 2009 Belgium is likely to have negative growth growing unemployment and a 3% budget deficit stemming from the worldwide banking crisis.

Real gdp purchasing power parity:
Rank: 30
Note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Real gdp growth rate:
Rank: 174

Real gdp per capita:
Rank: 27
Note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 0.8%
Industry: 23.2%
Services: 76.1% (2008 est.)

Agriculture products: sugar beets fresh vegetables fruits grain tobacco; beef veal pork milk

Industries: engineering and metal products motor vehicle assembly transportation equipment scientific instruments processed food and beverages chemicals basic metals textiles glass petroleum

Industrial production growth rate: 2% (2008 est.)
Rank: 102

Labor force: 4.99 million (2008)
Rank: 72
By occupation agriculture: 2%
By occupation industry: 25%
By occupation services: 73% (2007 est.)

Unemployment rate: 7.5% (2007 est.)
Rank: 88

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line: 15.2% (2007 est.)

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share
Lowest 10: 3.4%
Highest 10: 28.4% (2000)

Distribution of family income gini index: 28.7 (1996)
Rank: 120

Budget
Revenues: $239.4 billion
Expenditures: $245.7 billion (2008 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

Public debt: 96.2% of GDP (2004 est.)
Rank: 9

Revenue

Fiscal year

Inflation rate consumer prices: 1.8% (2007 est.)
Rank: 76

Central bank discount rate: 5% (31 December 2007)
Rank: 100
Note: this is the European Central Bank's rate on the marginal lending facility which offers overnight credit to banks in the euro area

Commercial bank prime lending rate: 7.03% (31 December 2008)

Stock of narrow money

Stock of broad money

Stock of domestic credit: $552 billion (31 December 2007)
Rank: 14

Market value of publicly traded shares:
Rank: 25

Current account balance: $7.751 billion (2007 est.)
Rank: 172

Exports: $323.4 billion (2007 est.)
Rank: 13
Commodities: machinery and equipment chemicals finished diamonds metals and metal products foodstuffs
Partners: Germany 19.8% France 17.4% Netherlands 12.2% UK 7.2% US 4.8% Italy 4.7% (2008)

Imports: $320.9 billion (2007 est.)
Rank: 14
Commodities: raw materials machinery and equipment chemicals raw diamonds pharmaceuticals foodstuffs transportation equipment oil products
Partners: Netherlands 19.4% Germany 17.2% France 11% UK 5.7% US 5.6% China 4.2% (2008)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $16.51 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Rank: 58

Debt external: $1.539 trillion (31 December 2007)
Rank: 11

Stock of direct foreign investment at home: $747.5 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Rank: 6

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad: $593 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Rank: 9

Exchange rates: euros (EUR) per US dollar - 0.6827 (2008) 0.7345 (2007) 0.7964 (2006) 0.8041 (2005) 0.8054 (2004)


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Electricity
Production: 82.17 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Production rank: 35
Consumption: 84.88 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Consumption rank: 33
Exports: 6.561 billion kWh (2008 est.)
Imports: 17.16 billion kWh (2008 est.)

Coal

Petroleum

Crude oil

Refined petroleum

Natural gas
Production: 0 m³ (2008 est.)
Production rank: 95
Consumption: 17.33 billion m³ (2008 est.)
Consumption rank: 38
Exports: 0 m³ (2008)
Exports rank: 54
Imports: 17.42 billion m³ (2008 est.)
Imports rank: 14
Proven reserves: 0 m³ (1 January 2009 est.)
Proven reserves rank: 106

Carbon dioxide emissions

Energy consumption per capita


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Telephones
Main lines in use: 4.457 million (2008)
Main lines in use rank: 34
Mobile cellular: 11.822 million (2008)
Mobile cellular rank: 51

Telephone system
General assessment: highly developed technologically advanced and completely automated domestic and international telephone and telegraph facilities
Domestic: nationwide cellular telephone system; extensive cable network; limited microwave radio relay network
International: country code - 32; landing point for a number of submarine cables that provide links to Europe the Middle East and Asia; satellite earth stations - 7 (Intelsat - 3) (2007)

Broadcast media

Internet
Country code: .be
Hosts: 4.367 million (2009)
Hosts rank: 17
Users: 7.292 million (2008)
Users rank: 34

Broadband fixed subscriptions


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Military expenditures: 1.3% of GDP (2005 est.)
Rank: 126

Military and security forces

Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age for voluntary military service; conscription suspended (2008)

Space program

Terrorist groups


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National air transport system

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Airports: 43 (2009)
Rank: 99
With paved runways total: 27
With paved runways over 3047 m: 6
With paved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 8
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 3
With paved runways 914 to 1523 m: 1
With paved runways under 914 m: 9 (2009)
With unpaved runways total: 16
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 1
With unpaved runways under 914 m: 15 (2009)

Heliports: 1 (2009)

Pipelines: gas 1330 km; oil 158 km; refined products 535 km (2008)

Railways
Total: 3,233 km
Rank: 54
Standard gauge: 3,233 km 1.435-m gauge (2,950 km electrified) (2008)

Roadways
Total: 152,256 km
Rank: 34
Paved: 119,079 km (includes 1763 km of expressways)
Unpaved: 33,177 km (2006)

Waterways: 2,043 km (1528 km in regular commercial use) (2008)
Rank: 44

Merchant marine
Total: 79
Rank: 56
By type: bulk carrier 20 cargo 9 chemical tanker 1 container 6 liquefied gas 20 passenger 2 petroleum tanker 11 roll on/roll off 10
Foreign owned: 6 (Denmark 4 France 2)
Registered in other countries: 111 (Bahamas 15 Cyprus 2 France 6 Gibraltar 2 Greece 16 Hong Kong 3 Liberia 4 Luxembourg 7 Malta 15 Mozambique 2 Netherlands 2 Netherlands Antilles 1 Panama 2 Portugal 8 Russia 4 Saint Kitts and Nevis 1 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 8 Sierra Leone 1 Singapore 8 Vanuatu 4) (2008)

Ports and terminals: Antwerp Gent Liege Zeebrugge


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Disputes international: none

Refugees and internally displaced persons

Illicit drugs: growing producer of synthetic drugs and cannabis; transit point for US-bound ecstasy; source of precursor chemicals for South American cocaine processors; transshipment point for cocaine heroin hashish and marijuana entering Western Europe; despite a strengthening of legislation the country remains vulnerable to money laundering related to narcotics automobiles alcohol and tobacco; significant domestic consumption of ecstasy